Package and blank therefor



Oct. 15, 1968 PACKAGE AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed July 26, 1966 PHILLIPS, JR

2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 15, 1968 Filed July 26, 1966 F. L. PHILLIPS, JR

PACKAGE AND BLANK THEREFOR 2 `Sheets-Sheet 2 X Z022 -4 F d 4/ INVENTOR. az; 505/0 Pff/upm? eab-J q2 BY f i u M United States Patent O 3,405,859 PACKAGE AND BLANK THEREFOR Floyd L. Phillips, Jr., Winston-Salem, N.C., assigner, by mesne assignments, to Archer Products, Incorporated, Winston-Salem, N.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed .luly 26, 1966, Ser. No. 567,398 13 Claims. (Cl. 229-22) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A 4wedge shaped container formed from a blank of stiff, 'bendable paperboard coated with thermoplastic iilm or wax to provide a heat scalable coating on the inner surface of the container. The container has a base and tin seals on three edges of the container.

This invention relates to a package and a blank therefor, and particularly to a pouch-type package and blank therefor formed from a stir?, bendable material.

In the packaging of products it is desirable to provide a package which is both durable and pleasing in appearance. The present invention is directed to a package formed from a scored `blank of still, bendable material. The stiff material, such as paperboard, provides durability, and the scores in the blank dene the shape of the completed package. In particular, a wedge-shaped package is contemplated in the present invention in which front and rear faces of the package are scored with diverging score lines to divide each face into distinct panels so as to provide the finished package with a shape corresponding to that assumed by a similar package formed of flexible (i.e., non-stiff) packaging material. In this fashion the durability of stiff packaging material is utilized while maintaining the aesthetically pleasing appearance of exible packaging material.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved package and blank therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved package and blank therefor formed from scored, stift, bendable material.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved package and blank therefor of still?, bendable material which is scored in one or more faces thereof to provide a finished package shape corresponding to that of a similarly shaped package formed of exible packaging material.

The invention will be more completely understood by reference to the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a scored blank of stili, bendable material in accordance with the invention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views of a completed package formed from the blank of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the package of FIGS. 2 and 3.

Referring to FIG. l, a blank is shown, comprising a strip of stiff, bendable material. The term stijf as used herein means any material such as 7 to 12 point paperboard (0.007" to 0.012 thickness) as contrasted against a exible material such as ordinary Wrapping paper which exhibits virtually no stiffness, typically 2 to 5 points in thickness. The blank 10 includes longitudinal edges 12 and 14 and transverse edges 16 and 18. The blank is scored with a ln seal score line which is parallel and adjacent to each edge of the strip or blank. In particular, the n seal score line segments 20a and 20h are located adjacent and parallel to longitudinal edges 12 and 14 of the blank; such score line Segments constitute longitudinal n seal score lines. Fin seal score line segments 20c and 20d are positioned adjacent and parallel to transverse edges 16 and 18; such score line segments constitute transverse 1in seal score lines. For

ease in scoring the blank, the fin seal score lines 20u, 20h, 20c and 20d extend all the way across the blank from one edge to the opposite edge. As will be explained below in more detail, the ends of the iin seal score lines designated 20a-1, 2zz-2, 2Gb-1, 2011-2, 26e-1, 2llc2, 20d-1, and 20d-2, as well as the intermediate segments 20:16, 20a-4, 20a-5, 20a-6 and Zlib-3, 20h-4, 2Gb-5, NIJ-6 of the longitudinal iin seal score lines 20a and 2012, are not necessary for proper completion of the fin seals formed in the completed package and may be omitted by suitable construction of the machinery (not shown) for scoring the blank.

The lblank 10 includes transverse score lines 22 and 24 which divide the -blank into a front face panel 26, a rear -face panel 28 and a 'base panel 30 between the face panels. An additional transverse score line 32 divides the base panel 30 into two parts 30a and 30b.

The front face panel 26 of the blank includes a pair of score lines 34 and 36 which extend across the face panel from spaced points 40 and 42 on the transverse score line 22 that separates the front face panel 26 from the base panel 30. The score lines 34 and 36 extend away from the base panel and converge toward each other, with their closest spacing in a region 44 of the front face panel which is closer to the transverse score line 22 or the base panel 3i) than to the opposing transverse edge 16 of the front face panel. The score lines 34 and 36 then diverge away from each other and terminate at spaced points 46 and 48 on the transverse iin seal score line 20c. The score lines 34 and 36 thus include segments 34a, 34b and 36a, 36h, The score line segments 34a and 36a constitute first and second score lines in the front face panel 26 which extend from the region 44 in the face panel toward the transverse score line 22 which `defines an edge of the -face panel, i.e., toward the base panel Sil, and which diverge away from each other as they extend from the region 44. The score line segments 34]: and 3617 constitute third and fourth score lines in the face panel which extend from the region 44 toward the transverse edge 16 of the face panel opposite from the edge 22 or base panel 30 and which diverge away from each other as they extend from the region 44. As shown, the score line segments 34a and 34b intersect sharply at point 50, and score line segments 36a and 36b intersect sharply at point 52. The intersections of the score line segments need not be sharp, `but may be along an arc. Additionally, the score line segments need not intersect, but the ends may be closely spaced from each other in the region 44; eg., score line segments 34a and 34]? need not exactly intersect in the region 44 and an unscored section of the blank may separate the adjacent ends of these segments.

It will be noted then that the `score lines 34 and 36 divide the front face panel 26 into a front central face panel 26a, an adjoining front-left side face panel 26b and an adjoining front-right side face panel 26e. The rear face panel 28 is similarly scored with score lines 54 and 56, which include segments 54a, 54b and 56a, 56b, and which correspond to the score lines 34 and 36. The score lines 54 and S6 thus divide the rear face panel 2S into a rear central face panel 28a, an adjoining rear-left side face panel 28b and an adjoining rear-right side face panel 28e. The score line segments 54a and 56a intersect the transverse score line 24 at points 40 and 42 corresponding to the points 40 and 42 in the front face panel 26. The score line segments 54]) and 56h intersect the transverse 1in seal score line 20d at points 46 and 48 corresponding to the points 46 and 4S in the front face panel 26.

The score line segments 34a, 36a, 54a and 56a include extensions thereof (respectively 36a', 34a', 54a and 56a') across the base panel 30. rIhe score line extensions 34a' and 54a' intersect each other at Vpoint 60 while score line extensions 36a and 56a' intersect each other at point 62. The points 60 and 62 lie respectively on the longitudinal iin seal score lines 2017 and 26a. Ends 32a and 32b of the transverse score line 32 extend respectively from the points 60 and 62 across the adjacent portions of the blank to the longitudinal edges 14 and 12 of the blank.

Score line 70 extends from the point 42 (the intersection of the score line 36a and the transverse score line 22) across the adjacent portion of the blank to a point 72 on the longitudinal fin seal score line 20a. A further score line 74 extends from the point 72 across the adjacent portion of the blank to the longitudinal edge 12 of the blank. The score line 70 and the score line extension 36a subtend substantially equal angles with the transverse score line 22 separating the front face panel 26 from the base panel 30. In similar fashion a score line 76 extends from the point 40 in the front face panel 26 to point 7S on the adjacent longitudinal iin seal score line h. A further score line 80 extends from the point 78 to the adjacent longitudinal edge 14 of the blank. The score line 76 and the score line extension 34a subtend equal angles with the transverse score line 22. It should be noted that the rear `face panel 28 includes corresponding score lines 713-', 74', 76 and 8G'.

Score lines 41 and 43 extend across the base panel 30 respectively between the points 40, 40 and 42, 42'.

The blank, scored as shown in FIG. 1, may be made of any stiff, bendable material suitable for use in the formation of a package. Paperboard, with a thickness roughly in the range of 7 to l2 points, is one suitable material. The blank material is typically coated with thermoplastic film or wax to provide a heat scalable coating on a surface thereof (the inner surface of the completed package) as a continuous coating or in selected areas of the blank for selective heat sealing. Aluminum foil, eg., or any of various other materials may be added to the blank for enhancing the appearance of the completed package or serving to provide additional strength to the underlying blank material, e.g. It is contemplated that the blank of FIG. 1 will be cut and scored from a continuous web of stiff, bendable material, as is well known in the art.

The blank of FIG. 1 may be formed to the shape of a package by suitable forming and sealing machinery (not shown) to assume a completed shape as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. FIG. 2 shows the front face and base of the package. The blank of FIG. 1 is bent so that the face panels 26 and 28 are positioned adjacent to each other and a fin seal is formed along the longitudinal edges of the package as designated 82 and 84. At the same time that the longitudinal fin seals are completed, four aps 86, 88, 90 and 92 at the four corners of the base of the package are formed. Each flap is formed from sealedtogether portions of the side face panels and the base panel of the package. Referring to FIG. 1, the flap 86 is formed by the heat sealing together of the areas 86a, 86h lof the blank respectively with the areas 86a', 86b. The flap 88 is formed by heat sealing the areas 88a, 88b respectively to the areas 88a and 88b'. In similar fashion the flaps 99 and 92 are formed by heat sealing together the corresponding areas at the left side of the blank of FIG. 1, To facilitate the formation of the aps 86, 88, 90 and 92, the base of the packages includes the score line 32 so that it is collapsible, i.e., the base panels 30a and 30b may crease about the score line 32 to assume a V-shape. This aids in the formation of the flaps, although it is possible to form such flaps without the collapsing of the bottom portion. In other words, the score line 32 between the points 60 and 62 may be omitted from the base so that a non-collapsible base is provided. The score lines 32a and 32b from the points 60v and 62 to the edges of the blank are normally employed in any event to facilitate the creasing and forming of the flaps 86, 8S and 94), 92. v

When the score line 32 in the base is employed, so that the package is collapsible, an empty package is normally erected to the position shown in FIG. 2 by the application of compressed air to the collapsed package, or by the use of a mandrel or by the application to the package of the product to be packaged. When the product may be so used to erect the package, the packaged product is pushed against the collapsed V-shaped bottom to cause the bottom to assume the form shown in FIG. 2.

After the product has been applied to the package, a transverse fin seal 98 is formed at the top of the package to seal the package.

FIG. 3 shows the completed package oriented differently from FIG. 2. The score lines 74 and S0 separate the longitudinal fin seals 82 and S4 from the base corner flaps 86 and 90. These score lines, as well as the score lines 74 and 86 on the rear face of the package not shown in FIG. 3, prevent buckling in the fin seals 82 and 84. In particular, as the package is completed with the product therein, the flaps 86, 88, 90 and 92 tend to be drawn upwardly. Without the score lines 74, 74', 80 and 80', buckling would occur in the regions in the longitudinal n seals designated and 102. Such buckling is undesirable in a package of this type inasmuch as it detracts from the overall appearance.

' It will be noted from FIGS. 2 and 3 that in the completed form of the package the score lines 34 and 36 enable the front face 26 to be divided into three distinct panels 26a, 26h and 26a` when the package is filled with the product. These panels provide a package configuration which closely approximates that of a similarly shaped package formed of flexible, unscored packaging material. Thus the package of the present invention combines the durability of stiff, bendable packaging material with the aesthetically pleasing properties of flexible or non-stiff packaging material. v

FIG. 4 shows the package of FIGS. 2 and 3 as viewed from the side. The package is generally wedge-shaped. The wedge configuration allows packages to be nested within a box with the base portion 30 of one package positioned adjacent to the top portion of an adjacent package, thereby saving space.

As noted above, the fin seal score line segments 20a-1 and 20c-1 at the upper righthand corner of the front face of the package are not necessary. They may be included, however, if desired for ease in scoring the blank. The same is true with respect to the fin seal score line segments 20b-1 and 20c-2 at the upper lefthand corner of the front face of the package, as well as the score line segments 20d-1, 20a-2 and 20d-2, 20b2 at the upper corners of the rear face of the package, (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). For this same reason the portion' of the longitudinal fin seal score line 20a between the points 72 and 72' in FIG. 1 .(the portion formed by segmentsVv 20a-3, 20a4, 20a-5 and 26a-6) and the portions of the longitudinal fin seal score line 20h between the points 78 and 78' in FIG. 1 (the segments 20b-3, 20b4, 20h-5 and 20b-6) may be omitted since they do not serve any useful function and are included simply in facilitating the overall scoring of the blank. In other words, it may be simpler to fabricate a scoring die with continuous score lines 20a and 20b rather than broken score lines.

The embodiments of the invention described above are susceptible of modification. As noted, some of the score lines need not be strictly in accordance with those shown in the drawings. Further, additional scoring or perforating of the blank may be employed, e.g., to facilitate the tearing open of the completed package to gain access to the contents of the package. Accordingly, the invention should be taken to be defined by the following claims:

What is claimed is: 1. A blank for a'wedge shaped package, comprising a strip of stiff, bendable material defining a face panel,

a base panel for serving as a base of the package, said face panel including first and second score lines extending from a region within the panel toward a first edge of the panel adjoining the base panel and diverging away from each other, third and fourth score lines extending from said panel region toward a second edge of the panel opposite from the first edge and diverging away from each other, and a further score line substantially parallel to said second edge for forming a n seal in the package.

2. A blank for a package as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and third score lines are joined together in said panel region and the second and fourth score lines are joined together in said panel region.

3. A blank for a package as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second score lines terminate at said first panel edge and said third and fourth score lines terminate adjacent to said second panel edge.

4. A blank for a package as defined in claim 1, wherein said panel region is substantially closer to said first panel edge than to said second panel edge.

5. A blank for a package as defined in claim 1, wherein said strip is scored to include a second face panel on the opposite side of said base panel from the other face panel, said second face panel including score lines therein corresponding to the first, second, third and fourth score lines in the other face panel and extending toward first and second edges of the second face panel as in the other face panel, the first edge of the second face panel adjoining said base panel, and a further score line in said second face panel substantially parallel to said second edge in said second face panel for forming said fin seal in the package.

6. A blank for a package, comprising a rectangular strip of stiff, bendable material having opposed transverse edges and opposed longitudinal edges, a lin seal score line parallel and adjacent to each edge of the strip, transverse score lines across the strip dividing the strip into first and second face panels and a base panel therebetween, each of the face panels including a pair of score lines extending across the panel from spaced points substantially on the transverse score line which separates the face panel from the base panel, said pair of score lines first converging toward each other and then diverging from each other.

7. A blank for a package as defined in claim 6, wherein the pair of score lines in each of the face panels terminate at spaced points substantially on the fin seal score line adjacent to the transverse edge of the face panel.

8. A blank for a package as defined in claim 6, wherein the pair of score lines in each of the face panels converge toward each other with their closest spacing in a region of the face panel closer to the base panel than to the opposed transverse edge of the face panel.

9. A blank for a package as dened in claim 6, wherein the base panel includes score lines which are the extensions of said pairs of score lines in the face panels, the two score line extensions in the base panel adjacent to each longitudinal fin seal score line terminating at a first point substantially on such longitudinal fin seal score line, a first score line extending from each said first point transversely across the adjacent portion of the strip to the adjacent longitudinal edge of the strip, a second score line extending from the intersection of each of said score line extensions in the base panel with the transverse score line separating the corresponding face panel from the base panel, each said second score line and the corresponding one of said score line extensions subtending substantially equal angles with the transverse score line that they intersect, each said second score line terminating at a second point on the adjacent longitudinal fin seal score line, and a third score line extending from each said second point transversely across the adjacent portion of the strip to the adjacent longitudinal edge of the strip.

10. A blank for a package as defined in claim 9, wherein the pair of score lines in each of the face panels terminate at spaced points substantially on the fin seal score line adjacent to the transverse edge of the face panel, and wherein the pair of score lines in each of the face panels converge toward each other with their closest spacing in a region of the face panel closer to the base panel than to the opposed transverse edge of the face panel.

11. A wedge shaped package formed of stiff, bendable material, comprising a base and adjoining front and rear faces, said front and rear faces being joined together in a fin seal opposite from said base, at least one of said faces being scored along first and second score lines extending from a region within the face toward the base of the package and diverging away from each other, said face being scored along third and fourth score lines extending frorn said region within said face toward an edge of the face opposite from the base and diverging away from each other, said score lines dividing said face into a central face panel and two adjoining side face panels.

12. A package as defined in claim 11, wherein each of the front and rear faces includes first, second, third and fourth score lines dividing the face into a central face panel and two adjoining side face panels.

13. A package formed of stiff, bendable material, comprising a base and adjoining front and rear faces, each of said faces being scored along first and second score lines extending from a region within the face toward the base of the package and diverging away from each other, each face being scored along third and fourth score lines extending from said region within the face toward an edge of the face opposite from the base and diverging away from each other, said score lines dividing each face into a central face panel and two adjoining side face panels, and wherein the front and rear faces are joined together in iin seals along side edges thereof and a fin seal along top edges thereof opposite from said base, and including four flaps at four comers of the base of the package formed from sealed-together portions of the side face panels and the base of the package, each of the four flaps being bounded by a score line in the corresponding side face panel which extends upwardly from the base of the package to the adjacent side fin seal and across said adjacent side fin seal to the corresponding side edge of the package.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,067,998 1/ 1937 Williamson 229-16 2,468,306 4/ 1949 Norden 229-16 2,574,246 11/ 1951 Crosby 229-22 3,034,695 5/ 1962 Bergh gracht 229-22 FOREIGN PATENTS 390,145 7/ 1965 Switzerland.

DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. 

